Divorce may be the best-known family law issue in the United States, given that almost half of all marriages end this way. Coloradoans know that divorce brings up many issues that spouses need to discuss and settle before the end of their marriage can be finalized. These include child custody, child support, division of marital assets and spousal support. As emotions run high, spouses often find it difficult to negotiate during the legal process.
Most divorce cases do not run smoothly. Some spouses cannot control their emotions and lash out. This can feel threatening and challenging to the other party, especially during property division. It is not unusual for one spouse to express a willingness to do anything in order to keep the other party from receiving anything once the divorce is finalized. Threatening to keep the other spouse from seeing the children is another classic threat.
Documenting an estranged spouse’s threats and rants is one way to deal with them. This allows the person who is being threatened to determine which threats are real and which are simply intemperate expressions of anger. The spouse can learn to understand the patterns of such threats and convey these to legal counsel.
The best way to deal with both serious and venting threats, which are often meant to intimidate the spouse, is to become educated about how the law applies to them. Understanding family law issues will enable a spouse to prepare for what will happen next. With the right amount of knowledge, a spouse can make decisions that will more positively shape his or her future.
People in the middle of family law issues should seek legal guidance. Dealing with these issues alone may cut costs, but it can lead to an unfavorable settlement that haunts a person once the divorce is over.
Source: Forbes.com, “How to cope with your husband’s financial threats during divorce,” Jeff Landers, Jan. 8, 2014